Video game retailers

[ontwofronts]

Our Ste chips in

http://www.zee-3.com...ew.php?post=625

Nice piece.

The passing of Game is the passing of a 'mainstream' retailer as opposed to a 'specialist'. Though those terms needn't be mutually exclusive.

[Nate Dogg III]

If Ste's BAFTA piece is anything to go by he will be setting up his own retail chain within the next three months.

E: actually that's a bad analogy. Points cards for Magnetic Billiards at the tills, then.

[Lag]

...

If you want more great Parfitt though, Harsin, dig out the piece that says we shouldn't wish ill on Game Group because his missus once lost her job and they struggled to pay the bills for a bit.

Bit harsh.

He was arguing against the people who seemed to be revelling in GAME's misfortune, saying spare a thought for the staff.

[Superunknown]

Bit harsh.

He was arguing against the people who seemed to be revelling in GAME's misfortune, saying spare a thought for the staff.

Well, he was, but a good chunk of the article includes some of the below gems:

http://www.mcvuk.com...-to-fail/089526

If you want to blame anyone for the products that GAME and Gamestation give the most attention to then blame yourself. They are only answering to the buying habits of consumers. Sure, retailers will support product that publishers ‘encourage’ them to, but no retailer on earth will indefinitely support product that is not selling.

So the UK's leading "specialist" retailer either ignores niche titles, or prices them crazily high in favour of endless FIFA and Call of Duty titles, because they're answering the buying habits of consumers? Not very specialist then, so why should people shop there instead of the supermarkets?

And I really don’t think it’s fair to criticise GAME staff for failing to match your encyclopaedic knowledge of games. They are there to serve customers. The internet is there for you to talk games.

You don’t think GAME ‘gets it right’? No, for you it probably doesn’t. But for the family and mass markets GAME targets? Yep – it’s spot on.

But they keep marketing themselves as specialists, so it's not unreasonable to expect them to have at least have heard of Dark Souls, even if they can't discuss the game mechanics at length.

And I guarantee you one thing – if GAME and Gamestation were to go and not be replaced (and no, I don’t think GameStop would step in and buy them out) gaming would be weakened.

Sales would fall. And if sales continue to fall here and elsewhere, publishers will have to consider their potential releases more carefully. And in those situations it’s the ‘risky’ (read: creative, innovative) titles that are the first to be dropped.

The same 'risky' titles that they either don't stock, or don't promote, because they're such dedicated specialists? But hang on, no-one buys them, so why the hell are they still being made? Or maybe it's because we buy them from shops that actually stock them or don't want £50 for them. If Game wants to be a high street shop that only sells ultra-popular titles to non-enthusiasts then they're doing it all wrong. They're neither specialist nor focussed on what non-enthusiasts want.

Ultimately, as has been said countless times, it's the management of Game that's the problem, not the consumer, and, for risking the livelihoods of their employees those managers (who'll in most instances walk away safe and secure into other retail management postions) should be truly ashamed. As should Parfitt for such a sycophantic piece.

[Pochacco]

I popped into my local Game this evening to check out whether they had anything worth buying since I've a tenner credit to use up. I overheard one of the guys chatting with another co-worker asking him what he thought was wrong with the poster HQ had sent them. Basically the poster was saying that the 3 for 2 on preowned would end of Friday and how messed up it was to tell the public as the 3 for 2 deal did attract customers thinking they'd get a bargain. Instead putting such a poster up would deter customers and it wouldn't help the store achieve their KPI.

Needless to say hardly any of the preowned games in the 360 section had the 3 for 2 sticker on them anyway.

[Oh Danny Boy]

It will be a sad day when videogames aren't represented on the high street by dedicated stores. It will be a real loss for the consumer if videogames find themselves only represented in general entertainment stores like music and movies have and even those stores are under threat. I'm lucky that living in London i still have access to stores such as Rough Trade and Sister Ray for my music consumption but elsewhere you are at a loss for dedicated music shops, same with movie shops since the 90's, it seems only a matter of time before blockbusters disappears for good. The supermarket won't be the saviour for videogames, they'll stock games in the same way they stock music and movies, i.e only chart material, anything that isn't a FIFA or COD will be unlikely to appear in their shelves in the same way any music other than a xfactor finalist or lady gaga or a movie which isn't a huge summer hit. The supermarket is the most charmless and bland shopping experience you can have.

As in music and movies videogames are best served in a store where a culture exists, where there is a passion for the material and where a small indie release can be provided the shelf space next to the big bands/movies/videogames. I feel that GAME's greatest mistake to those who have a passion for the hobby was to lose touch with the videogame culture that helped create it, if they do disappear i hope someone else will step in to fill their boots otherwise it may harm the creativity in the industry

[DjSatansfur3h]

Our Ste chips in

http://www.zee-3.com...ew.php?post=625

Minor thing, but EB swallowed up GAME, not the other way around.

[Dudley]

An understandable mistake given the branding but yes, one literally everyone seems to make.

[Halo]

The history of UK games retail can be summed up as EB buying their chain rivals and making them terrible.

[Unofficial Who]

Excellent. I knew biding my time for thise plushies would pay off.

They'll never go one sale. Once the poor staff find out that Game going into recievership means all their redundancy, owed holiday, long service and probably the last fortnight's wages are gone they'll use those Angry Birds plushies to demolish all the stores.

[Unofficial Who]

So they open the Packet to see what did you buy ?

(in regards to Australian Customs) yes they do open random packages. There's even a show on tv that shows them doing it.

[Unofficial Who]

You thought that was bad, this is on their front page right now.

Just to highlight the quote from that MCV post that made me lol so hard...

“I should point out that, mate, that that game is actually free to download on PS3,” the assistant told us as we handed over a PS3 copy of DC Universe Online along with a copy of FEAR 3 as part of the 2 for £20 offer on pre-owned.

We knew, of course. But we weren’t confident in our broadband line’s ability to download all 10GB or whatever it is in a single lifetime. The disc-based game, at that price, seemed like a good idea.

ZOMG. Either that writer is the biggest suckup in the universe or we've just seen the dna blending of journalist and vacuum cleaner.

I'm surprised they didn't have a companion piece stating that Valve were doomed because their model relied on downloading rather than buying at a trusty bricks'n'mortor store.

[Kyouma]

It will be a sad day when videogames aren't represented on the high street by dedicated stores. It will be a real loss for the consumer if videogames find themselves only represented in general entertainment stores like music and movies have and even those stores are under threat. I'm lucky that living in London i still have access to stores such as Rough Trade and Sister Ray for my music consumption but elsewhere you are at a loss for dedicated music shops, same with movie shops since the 90's, it seems only a matter of time before blockbusters disappears for good. The supermarket won't be the saviour for videogames, they'll stock games in the same way they stock music and movies, i.e only chart material, anything that isn't a FIFA or COD will be unlikely to appear in their shelves in the same way any music other than a xfactor finalist or lady gaga or a movie which isn't a huge summer hit. The supermarket is the most charmless and bland shopping experience you can have.

As in music and movies videogames are best served in a store where a culture exists, where there is a passion for the material and where a small indie release can be provided the shelf space next to the big bands/movies/videogames. I feel that GAME's greatest mistake to those who have a passion for the hobby was to lose touch with the videogame culture that helped create it, if they do disappear i hope someone else will step in to fill their boots otherwise it may harm the creativity in the industry

Physical media as a whole is obsolete and dying. In ten years time the average consumer will be using netflix for their tv shows/movies, itunes for music, and Steam for video games (or services like them, or competing with them). The only reason people like physical media is because they grew up with them.

[jcafarley]

The only reason people like physical media is because they grew up with them.

Or because you can sell physical media to another person whereas you're stuck with a download forever, or until the service closes.

[Dudley]

Well that's the main point often you're not "stuck with a download forever", you're "renting it until such time as a publisher gets bored and turns it off".

Of course if you buy UbiSoft on Pc that's the case with physical media too.

[Mr. Gerbik]

Or if you buy EA sports games on a console for the online multiplayer.

[Vorgot]

Physical media isn't dead and I don't think will be for a long time. You just need to sell it properly, which Game has consistently managed to not do in the recent past. I still prefer physical copies of games for home consoles (different matter maybe for handhelds) as they can be traded, lent to friends, and if something happens to your machine, can be reinstalled very quickly.

I've used Game recently for trade ins as they have become increasingly desparate offering 25% extra, but the selection they have in store is woeful at my local shop. Millions of copies of FIFA, overpriced new releases and a very poor selection of new games. I feel bad for the staff, some of them are great, some of them are nightmares, but it's always sad when people lose their jobs because of the ineptitude of their management.

[Stanley]

Physical media as a whole is obsolete and dying. In ten years time the average consumer will be using netflix for their tv shows/movies, itunes for music, and Steam for video games (or services like them, or competing with them). The only reason people like physical media is because they grew up with them.

I thought that way too up u til very recently. But then I decided that I enjoy going out and rummaging around second hand game shops picking up bargains and curios - stuff you can't get digitally and perhaps won't ever be able to bar emulators. For that reason I will continue to buy and support physical media.

[Mr. Gerbik]

I thought that way too up u til very recently. But then I decided that I enjoy going out and rummaging around second hand game shops picking up bargains and curios - stuff you can't get digitally and perhaps won't ever be able to bar emulators. For that reason I will continue to buy and support physical media.

And I think digital is great because GoG and Steam allow me to enjoy obscure curious and older, often impossible to find at a decent price, classics without having to rummage through second hand game shops and hoping that it will run on modern tech. Planescape: Torment for the price of a Happy Meal? Yes please!

[utopastac]

I do wish there was a way to give away the license once you've bought a digital copy. Not sell, not trade, just give it to someone else.

[waddie]

The list of reasons people like physical media is pretty much identical to the list of reasons publishers hate it. They'll kill it without a second thought.

[Sfan]

Another opinion piece on Game.

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2012-03-06-game-troubles-are-entirely-its-own-making-says-paradox

[Stanley]

And I think digital is great because GoG and Steam allow me to enjoy obscure curious and older, often impossible to find at a decent price, classics without having to rummage through second hand game shops and hoping that it will run on modern tech. Planescape: Torment for the price of a Happy Meal? Yes please!

It's great to have the choice. When I get my Vita I will buy physical whenever possible even though it's less convenient to launch the games.

It will be interesting to see if it dies out completely. People said the same about vinyl but it still has an enthusiastic following.

[moosegrinder]

Not that I don't agree Game made a rod for their own back, that guy is a massive fucking bell end.

[Boozy The Clown]

So has anyone put a timescale on the End yet ?

Are we talking days, weeks or months ? Since it seems to be inevitable at this point.

I'll miss having them to nip into and pick up something on the cheap or the nice wee surprise when your loyalty card paid back a decent discount. Otherwise I gave up on them when they took the piss on trade ins and priced new games at a fiver dearer than everywhere else. £45 for Arkham City on release was the final straw.

Like many here my local (GS Hamilton) offered decent service I took back a 360s a few times with problems and always got it swapped right away, admittedly this cost £35 in long term insurance but I got my money's worth.

If a company who sells games in a time period when sales must have been on a steady increase for the past 10 years and then fucks over the makers of those games to profiteer, ends up in the situation it currently is the blame can only be levelled at those who run it.

Name and shame the directors and decision makers.

Nobody here should be celebrating this no matter how bad they were though. Nobody's going to take over from them and eventually finding games at decent prices on the high street will be impossible.

[Stanley]

I do wish there was a way to give away the license once you've bought a digital copy. Not sell, not trade, just give it to someone else.

You are paying to 'play' the game though. You can gift games to other people.

[moosegrinder]

Personally, going on what's been reported, rumours, friend of a friend information I'd say weeks. You never know though.

[Broker]

Another opinion piece on Game.

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2012-03-06-game-troubles-are-entirely-its-own-making-says-paradox

That guy does not understand what karma is.

Also, "Minecraft would never have made it to XBLA" is a stupid statement to make. It is coming to XBLA, and I'd he means launched on there, it wouldn't have launched on his precious app store either.

Dude hasn't got a clue what he's talking about.

[Vorgot]

Personally, going on what's been reported, rumours, friend of a friend information I'd say weeks. You never know though.

I've got a pre-order in at Gamestation for the Silent Hill HD collection using up my GS credit. Hope they can make it through the next few weeks for that. Selfish I know

[Stanley]

Are Konami still supplying them?